Time never slows down

The other day I realized that I only have a month and a half before I fly back to Alaska. I don't know what happened to the last seven months...I feel like I got robbed somehow. Then again the last two years have kind of been a blur. It is hard to believe I lived in Monterey for two months, Chicago for a month, Jerusalem for two months, LaCrosse for two months, and Amman for seven, as well as visited a number of places in the States and a couple places in Europe. That is not to mention all the people I have met and made friends with…yeah, blur is the best way to describe it. But I think I’d have it no other way. There is something exhilarating and refreshing about living life as a nomad of sorts. I feel like it forces one to depend on your faith in God.

I finished the UN training course on Renewable Resources. Overall it was beneficial, although I didn't learn a whole lot of new information on the scientific or technical aspect, but then I didn't really expect to. I did meet quite a few people who are working in the field here in the Middle East, and especially Jordan. One of them said there is a good chance I could get a job when I come back working in Solar Cells. I also got to meet quite a few neat people, some of them who I am sure I’ll stay in touch with here in Jordan. When I came back to the University I had all kinds of work stacked up for me in the lab. Which, in a strange way, makes me feel good because it means I am trusted enough to depended upon. Then a couple days ago the professor I work for officially asked me if I wanted to come back next year and work as a full time research assistant. She said she is happy with my ‘scientific observations’. I had the feeling that if I wanted to stay on as a researcher that I could, but it is good to know that it has officially been offered now.

It is starting to get really warm here. Last weekend it was in the 90's. If this is what spring is like I am not too heartbroken that I won't be here for the summer. The funny thing is that the only ocean nearby is the Dead Sea, which is on average 10 to 15 degrees hotter than Amman. I actually don’t consider it a real sea, cause it has no fish in it.

Well, I guess thats about all I got to say about that…

Here is a picture of the UN group I was with. This is in front of the Rangers building. The Rangers are Jordan’s environmental police, like the EPA, but with no real authority.

Finally, a post...

They seem to just be getting farther and farther apart don't they? Things have going well here for the last month or so. I have been super busy at work in Physics Department. It seems I am still the only proficient at using the "new" microscope, which is over four months old now. We are at a breakthrough stage in one of our research projects (electro-chemical deposition of silicon nanomaterial, in case there is any science nerds reading this), so we have been trying to compile all the results, which means I've been putting in extra hours in the lab trying to get all my samples analyzed and arranged. I am hoping that the article we have written will be published in a science journal (probably in the US or Europe). Having your work published is a huge step in terms of being a researcher, or being taken seriously as a physicist. In short, it looks good on the resume...I really hate saying that, and thinking that way, but the reality is, that is the way the world works. I start my UN training course tomorrow for Renewable Resources, which lasts for one full week. It should be pretty interesting. I am hoping it will develop into some strong future work opportunities.
Things around Jordan are going pretty much as they have for the last six months...I am still trying to figure out what people do in their free time (which they have quite a bit of). The best I can figure out is that they spend the majority of their time socializing, which mostly consists of visiting one of the 500 cousins they have in the area. Since I have no family here I am kinda left out of that aspect of society, so I spend weekends studying or bugging friends to come over or go to the park (which they agree to occasionally). This weekend a group of four of us went to one of the greener areas of Jordan, which also happens to have an ancient ruined church located in the mountains. The church was built around 400AD, and is believed to be located on the mountain Elijah had his showdown with the prophets of Baal. It was a neat trip, but one of my friends had never been hiking before and after 5 hours of crisscrossing hills and valleys thick with brush he got pretty tired and started complaining. The idea of hiking for fun is still strange here in the Middle East...I am working on improving its popularity.
I can't believe I am leaving in less than two months...it is really strange to think about. I think it is gonna be kind of a shock coming back to America. Me and a friend were discussing today how I am going to survive without hummus (which is like my primary food group here). I'm sure I'll re-adjust quickly, but it is strange to think about all the differences there are. I am really looking forward to being able to do some physical labor. My hands haven't been legitmately dirty for a long long time. People here think I'm nuts for missing stuff like that, but I know you fellow Alaskans know exactly what I mean.
Here are a couple of pictures from the trip we took to Tel Mar Elias (also known as Mount Elias, not to be confused with Mount St Elias...it is much smaller and has no snow)

This picture is from the top of the mountain, and is overlooking the West Bank, Israel, and a small portion of Syria.


This is the other three people that went on the hike with us: my friend from the states, my roommate, and a Jordanian friend from the University